scholarly journals LINKAGE: Factors in selecting a data linkage approach

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kerina Jones ◽  
David Ford
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Data Science ◽  
Data Linkage ◽  
Population Data ◽  
Ground Truth ◽  
Position Information ◽  
Uk Government ◽  
The Uk ◽  
High Level ◽  
Inform Decision Making

Background The great benefits of linking health datasets for research in the public interest have long been demonstrated. More recently, we are seeing an increase in the availability of wider administrative data, such as employment, education and housing, to add new opportunities for population data science. However, there are challenges to be overcome in selecting a data linkage approach. Main Aim We set out to examine various data linkage approaches, and to formulate some high level questions to inform decision-making. Methods We used published literature to review various data linkage methods in theory and in practical settings. The study was commissioned by the UK Government Statistical Service and a key focus was privacy and confidentiality in data linkage. Results The questions we formulated are based on: Legislative position; Information systems; Nature of datasets; Knowledge-base; Aims and purposes; Ground truth; and Environment. Conclusion There are many factors influencing the selection of a data linkage approach. While not exhaustive, our set of questions covers some of the major ones. The findings of the study are being taken forward by UK Government Statistical Service and government departments to inform decision-making on options for data linkage research and the greater availability of their datasets.

scholarly journals Population Data BC: Supporting population data science in British Columbia

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tavinder Kaur Ark ◽  
Sarah Kesselring ◽  
Brent Hills ◽  
Kim McGrail
Keyword(s):  
Linked Data ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Data Science ◽  
Data Linkage ◽  
Population Data ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Data Access ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Individual Level

BackgroundPopulation Data BC (PopData) was established as a multi-university data and education resourceto support training and education, data linkage, and access to individual level, de-identified data forresearch in a wide variety of areas including human and community development and well-being. ApproachA combination of deterministic and probabilistic linkage is conducted based on the quality andavailability of identifiers for data linkage. PopData utilizes a harmonized data request and approvalprocess for data stewards and researchers to increase efficiency and ease of access to linked data.Researchers access linked data through a secure research environment (SRE) that is equipped witha wide variety of tools for analysis. The SRE also allows for ongoing management and control ofdata. PopData continues to expand its data holdings and to evolve its services as well as governanceand data access process. DiscussionPopData has provided efficient and cost-effective access to linked data sets for research. After twodecades of learning, future planned developments for the organization include, but are not limitedto, policies to facilitate programs of research, access to reusable datasets, evaluation and use of newdata linkage techniques such as privacy preserving record linkage (PPRL). ConclusionPopData continues to maintain and grow the number and type of data holdings available for research.Its existing models support a number of large-scale research projects and demonstrate the benefitsof having a third-party data linkage and provisioning center for research purposes. Building furtherconnections with existing data holders and governing bodies will be important to ensure ongoingaccess to data and changes in policy exist to facilitate access for researchers.

scholarly journals Population Data Science: The science of data about people

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim McGrail ◽  
Kerina Jones
Keyword(s):  
Data Science ◽  
Data Linkage ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Population Data ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
Science Field ◽  
Data Intensive ◽  
Collective Work ◽  
The Impact

IntroductionSocietal and individual benefits of data-intensive science are substantial but raise challenges of balancing individual privacy and public good, while building appropriate governance and socio-technical systems to support data-intensive science. We set out to define a new field of inquiry to move collective interests forward. Objectives and ApproachOur objectives were: 1. To create a concise definition of the emerging field of Population Data Science; 2. To highlight the characteristics and challenges of Population Data Science; 3. To differentiate Population Data Science from existing fields of data science and informatics; and 4. To discuss the implications and future opportunities for Population Data Science. Objectives 1 and 2 were met largely through International Population Data Linkage Network (IPDLN) member engagement, Objective 3 was evaluated via literature review, and Objective 4 was achieved through iterative and collective work on a peer-reviewed position paper. ResultsWe define Population Data Science succinctly as the science of data about people. It is related to, but distinct from, the fields of data science and informatics. A broader definition includes four characteristics of: i) data use for positive impact on individuals and populations; ii) bringing together and analyzing data from multiple sources; iii) identifying population-level insights; and iv) developing safe, privacy-sensitive and ethical infrastructure to support research. One implication of these characteristics is that few individuals or organisations possess all of the requisite knowledge and skills comprising Population Data Science, so this is by nature a multi-disciplinary “team science” field. There is a need to advance various aspects of science, such as data linkage technology, various forms of analytics, and methods of public engagement. Conclusion/ImplicationsThese implications are the beginnings of a research agenda for Population Data Science, which if approached as a collective field, will catalyze significant advances in our understanding of society, health, and human behavior and increase the impact of our research.

scholarly journals The International Population Data Linkage Network – Banff and Beyond

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
William A Ghali ◽  
Michael J Schull
Keyword(s):  
Executive Committee ◽  
Data Science ◽  
Data Linkage ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Population Data ◽  
Governance Structure ◽  
Social Program ◽  
Research Network ◽  
Foundational Work ◽  
Poster Presentations

We write to you, here in the pages of the International Journal of Population Data Science, for the second time in our capacity of co-directors of the International Population Data Linkage Network (IPDLN – www.ipdln.org). Time has certainly passed quickly since our first communication, where we introduced ourselves, and discussed planned initiatives for our tenure as leads of the IPDLN. Our network’s scientific community is steadily growing and thriving in an era of heightened interest around all things ‘data’. Indeed, there is great enthusiasm for all initiatives that explore ways of harnessing information systems and multisource data to enhance collective knowledge of health matters so that better decisions can be made by governments, system planners, providers, and patients. Never before have such initiatives attracted more attention. It is in this context of heightened interest and relevance around IPDLN and its science that we prepare to convene in Banff, Alberta, Canada for the 5th biennial IPDLN Conference – September 11-14. The conference, to be held at the inspiring Banff Centre (www.banffcentre.ca), is almost sold out, with only limited space remaining for late registrants. A tremendous program has been created through the oversight of Scientific Program co-chairs, Drs. Astrid Guttman and Hude Quan. A compelling roster of plenary lectures from Drs. Diane Watson, Jennifer Walker, and Osmar Zaïane is eagerly anticipated, as are topical panel discussions, an entertaining Science Slam session, and a terrific social program. These sessions will be surrounded by rich scientific oral and poster presentations arising from the more than 450 scientific abstracts submitted for review. We are so pleased to see this vibrant scientific engagement from the IPDLN membership and students, and look forward to hosting all delegates in Banff. The Banff conference will also be the venue at which we announce the new Directorship of the IPDLN for the next two years (2019 and 2020). As co-directors, we engaged with a number of individuals and organizations with interest in leading the IPDLN. In the end, two compelling Directorship applications were submitted – one a joint bid from Australia’s Population Health Research Network and the South Australia Northern Territory DataLink, and the other from the US-based Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy. IPDLN members submitted votes on these strong leadership bids through an online voting process, and while the excellence and appeal of both bids was apparent in strong voter support for both, a winning bid has been confirmed, and it will (as mentioned) be announced at the upcoming September conference. As we look forward to the Banff meeting with great anticipation, we are compelled to acknowledge the growing IPDLN legacy created by past directors. We are particularly indebted to our immediate predecessor, Dr. David Ford, and his team at Swansea University. Their work in hosting the 2016 IPDLN conference has been an inspiration to us in the planning of this year’s conference, and their crucial and foundational work in creating an IT platform for the IPDLN website, the membership database, and the new International Journal for Population Data Science has brought the IPDLN to a new level of organizational sophistication. Over the last 18 months, our co-directorship teams from the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences in Ontario and the O’Brien Institute for Public Health at the University of Calgary have built on the foundation established by prior directors to update/enhance the IPDLN website and membership database. The IPDLN has more members than ever before representing a greater number of countries, and we have a more formalized governance structure with the creation of an Executive Committee that will include immediate past-Directors in order to better ensure continuity. A new Executive Committee will be elected by the IPDLN membership following the Banff conference. The waiting is almost over and IPDLN 2018 is upon us! Our scientific domain has never had the prominence or level of anticipation that we currently see. And the IPDLN has grown in its size, vibrancy and scientific scope. The opportunities for us are boundless, and the timing of our upcoming conference could not be better. We are honoured, with our respective organizations, to have had this opportunity to serve as co-directors over the past two years, and look forward to seeing many of you very soon. For those of you who are unable to travel to Canada’s Rocky Mountains this year, we look forward to connecting with you at a later time in the IPDLN’s continuing upward journey.

scholarly journals Don’t panic: Bringing complexity thinking to UK Government evaluation guidance

Evaluation ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-31
Author(s):  
Martha Bicket ◽  
Dione Hills ◽  
Helen Wilkinson ◽  
Alexandra Penn
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Policy Evaluation ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Evaluation Policy ◽  
Interdisciplinary Dialogue ◽  
Key Stakeholders ◽  
Uk Government ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Multiple Stages

Central government guidance seeks to ensure and enhance the quality of practice and decision-making across – and sometimes beyond – government. The Magenta Book, published by HM Treasury, is the key UK Government resource on policy evaluation, setting out central government guidance on how to evaluate policies, projects and programmes. The UK Centre for the Evaluation of Complexity Across the Nexus was invited to contribute its expertise to the UK Government’s 2020 update of the Magenta Book by developing an accompanying guide on policy evaluation and ‘complexity’. A small multidisciplinary team worked together to produce a set of guidance, going through multiple stages of work and drawing on a variety of sources including academic and practitioner literature and experts and stakeholders in the fields of evaluation, policy and complexity. It also drew on Centre for the Evaluation of Complexity Across the Nexus’ own work developing and testing evaluation methods for dealing with complexity in evaluation. The resulting Magenta Book 2020 Supplementary Guide: Handling Complexity in Policy Evaluation explores the implications of complexity for policy and evaluation and how evaluation can help to navigate complexity. This article, designed primarily for practitioners who might be interested in this guidance and how it was developed, describes the processes involved, particularly related to the interdisciplinary dialogue and consultation with other key stakeholders that this involved. It also briefly outlines the content and key messages in the guidance, with reflections on the experiences of the authors in developing the guide – including the challenges and insights that arose during the process, particularly around the challenges of communicating complexity to a broad audience of readers.

scholarly journals Imagery in the UK: Britain's troubled imagery intelligence architecture

2009 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 957-969 ◽  
Author(s):  
PHILIP H. J. DAVIES
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Foreign Policy ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Policy Decision ◽  
The Status ◽  
Policy Decision Making ◽  
Uk Government ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Uk Foreign Policy

AbstractThis article examines the status, role and development of imagery intelligence in the UK government. It is argued that imagery intelligence occupies a subordinate and marginalised position compared to other forms of intelligence, chiefly from human sources and the interception of communications. The origins of that position are recounted, and the problems arising from internal struggles over control of imagery examined. It is concluded that the existing approach to imagery represents a serious problem and that a substantial restructuring and upgrading of imagery intelligence is essential if UK foreign policy decision-making is to be properly informed in the 21st Century.

Onwards and Upwards

2021 ◽  
pp. 305-319
Author(s):  
Alex Brummer
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Healing Process ◽  
The Political ◽  
Uk Government ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Eu

This chapter recounts how Britain voted to leave the EU in June 2016, in which very few people envisaged the long timescale involved in navigating its departure. It cites the paralysis of national decision-making and the scale and the passion on both sides that were not anticipated during the battle to reverse the result of the referendum. It also talks about the December 2019 election that brought Boris Johnson back to Downing Street, which should have allowed a line to be drawn under uncertainty and signalled the start of a healing process. The chapter analyses the Brexit disarray on all sides of the political and economic divide that became less relevant as a second referendum had been blocked. It highlights interventions of the UK government to put the economy on hold or in hibernation, so that when the pandemic has passed the economy can be brought back to life.

scholarly journals Hierarchical Active Tracking Control for UAVs via Deep Reinforcement Learning

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (22) ◽  
pp. 10595
Author(s):  
Wenlong Zhao ◽  
Zhijun Meng ◽  
Kaipeng Wang ◽  
Jiahui Zhang ◽  
Shaoze Lu
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Reinforcement Learning ◽  
Tracking Control ◽  
Spatial Information ◽  
Ground Truth ◽  
Tracking Task ◽  
Learning To Learn ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Dynamic Target ◽  
High Level

Active tracking control is essential for UAVs to perform autonomous operations in GPS-denied environments. In the active tracking task, UAVs take high-dimensional raw images as input and execute motor actions to actively follow the dynamic target. Most research focuses on three-stage methods, which entail perception first, followed by high-level decision-making based on extracted spatial information of the dynamic target, and then UAV movement control, using a low-level dynamic controller. Perception methods based on deep neural networks are powerful but require considerable effort for manual ground truth labeling. Instead, we unify the perception and decision-making stages using a high-level controller and then leverage deep reinforcement learning to learn the mapping from raw images to the high-level action commands in the V-REP-based environment, where simulation data are infinite and inexpensive. This end-to-end method also has the advantages of a small parameter size and reduced effort requirements for parameter turning in the decision-making stage. The high-level controller, which has a novel architecture, explicitly encodes the spatial and temporal features of the dynamic target. Auxiliary segmentation and motion-in-depth losses are introduced to generate denser training signals for the high-level controller’s fast and stable training. The high-level controller and a conventional low-level PID controller constitute our hierarchical active tracking control framework for the UAVs’ active tracking task. Simulation experiments show that our controller trained with several augmentation techniques sufficiently generalizes dynamic targets with random appearances and velocities, and achieves significantly better performance, compared with three-stage methods.

scholarly journals The Use of COI in the Refugee Status Determination Process in the UK: Looking Back, Reaching Forward

Refuge ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 182-194
Author(s):  
Jo Pettitt ◽  
Laurel Townhead ◽  
Stephanie Huber
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Refugee Status ◽  
Initial Decision ◽  
Determination Process ◽  
Objective Evidence ◽  
Effective Decision ◽  
Effective Decision Making ◽  
The Uk ◽  
High Level ◽  
Primary Form

In the context of Refugee Status Determination (RSD), while the primary form of evidence is the testimony of the asylum applicant, objective evidence in the form of Country of Origin Information (COI) is recognized as an important— and potentially crucial—tool in decision making. A research project of the Research and Information Unit (RIU) of the Immigration Advisory Service (IAS) examines the use of COI in the RSD process in the UK from initial decision to fi nal appeal. Th e fi ndings highlight the high level of inconsistency in the understanding of and the application of COI in RSD in the UK. It will demonstrate the need for this issue to be urgently addressed in the interest of just and effective decision making in the UK, and help inform discussions at the European and international levels.

scholarly journals ‘Leading by Science’ through Covid-19: the GDPR & Automated Decision-Making

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Miranda Jane Mourby
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Population Data ◽  
Resource Planning ◽  
Single Equation ◽  
General Data Protection Regulation ◽  
Data Store ◽  
Automated Processing ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Automated Decision Making

The UK government announced in March 2020 that it would create an NHS Covid-19 ‘Data Store’ from information routinely collected as part of the health service. This ‘Store’ would use a number of sources of population data to provide a ‘single source of truth’ about the spread of the coronavirus in England. The initiative illustrates the difficulty of relying on automated processing when making healthcare decisions under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The end-product of the store, a number of ‘dashboards’ for decision-makers, was intended to include models and simulations developed through artificial intelligence. Decisions made on the basis of these dashboards would be significant, even (it was suggested) to the point of diverting patients and critical resources between hospitals based on their predictions. How these models will be developed, and externally validated, remains unclear. This is an issue if they are intended to be used for decisions which will affect patients so directly and acutely. We have (by default) a right under the GDPR not to be subject to significant decisions based solely on automated decision-making. It is not obvious, at present, whether resource allocation within the NHS could take place in reliance on this automated modelling. The recent A Level debacle illustrates, in the context of education, the risks of basing life-changing decisions on the national application of a single equation. It is worth considering the potential consequences for the health service if the NHS Data Store is used for resource planning as part of the Covid-19 response.

Medical support to Operation CORPORATE

2017 ◽  
Vol 103 (2) ◽  
pp. 83.3-88
Author(s):  
J G Penn-Barwell ◽  
R Jolly ◽  
R Rickard
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Surgical Procedures ◽  
Wound Management ◽  
Falkland Islands ◽  
Medical Support ◽  
Previous Generation ◽  
Management Procedures ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Inform Decision Making

AbstractThis article describes the medical support to Operation CORPORATE, and is derived from a range of sources, including surgical operative logbooks, journals and contemporaneous official reports.Eight hundred and fifty-five surgical procedures were performed by deployed medical units between 14 May and 13 July 1982 in support of Op CORPORATE. The rate peaked on the busiest day, 12 June 1982, when 86 operations were performed. The vast majority of operations were wound management procedures, although 20 laparotomies, four thoracotomies and six craniotomies were also performed. The four forward Role 2 (R2) surgical facilities at Ajax Bay, Teal Inlet, Fitzroy and on board SS CANBERRA collectively performed 354 operations.Argentine and British casualties were evacuated from the area of operations on board three Argentine vessels and three British HECLA-class survey ships. Between them, HMSs HECLA, HYDRA and HERALD made a total of nine 1000-NM journeys between the Falkland Islands and Montevideo, Uruguay, caring for a total of 601 patients. From Montevideo, British casualties were transferred by RAF VC-10 back to the UK.Reflection on how a previous generation supported this operation may inform decision-making when similar challenges are faced in the future.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document